Recovery After Pain
by 781228XX
Summary: Naruto returns to the village with Kakashi-Sensei after destroying Pain and Kakashi collapses, exhausted. Hinata helps him recover as he stays in the make-shift hospital amongst the rubble. My first ever fic.


Hinata ran to the front of the crowd, wanting to get a good position to see Naruto's return. He emerged from the forest walking with a slight limp as he held onto Kakashi-sensei alongside him for support. A look of surprise shot across his face as the crowd rushed forwards to greet him, shouting and whooping and congratulating him. Tears welled up and a smile spread across her face as she watched him being cheered on by everyone. "_Thank God Naruto-Kun,"_ she thought. She really did love that goofy nin. He had done so much for her, and for the entire village. He had shown her what it means to never give up, he had taught her that her destiny was not pre-determined and inspired her to change her fate. He had given her the strength to fight on. But as she saw Sakura emerge from the crowd and grasp him in a firm embrace, she realised that she could never be with him. He looked so relieved and so happy to be there in Sakura's arms, he grinned softly as he threw his own arms back around her. It was obvious to see Sakura and Naruto's growing relationship, she had bonded with Naruto in a way that Hinata never could. Although Hinata would always love him for everything he had done for her, she knew that he did not belong to her. As Naruto and Sakura continued their hug, her attention shifted as she saw a sudden movement behind them. Kakashi-sensei had collapsed from exhaustion and was falling to the ground. Hinata quickly rushed forward to meet him, her palms already infused with healing chakra as she caught him her arms...

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><p>Kakashi looked down at the bodies in shock; Rin, Obito and Naruto were all lying down in front of him.<br>"_No," _he thought, "_No…"  
><em>Naruto was facing Kakashi and had giant black chakra rods sticking out all over his body, including one that went right through his skull. He was looking up at Kakashi with pleading dead eyes that did not respond to Kakashi's voice.  
>"<em>Please Naruto, please you're not…"<br>_Rin was lying next to him on her back, her feet level with Naruto's head. Blood was slowly staining her shirt and as she gave a weak cough it sprayed out of her mouth.  
>"<em>Please no, I tried," <em>Kakashi cried out.  
>Beside Rin laid Obito, the boulder no longer covering his body. Kakashi gazed at his dead teammate in horror. His entire right side no longer resembled a body at all, it had been completely crushed. Ribs were piercing out through Obito's chest as he lay in a pool of his own blood, unmoving. Kakashi stood rooted to the spot unable to look away.<br>"No, no please, please don't be dead" he cried out, "I tried to save you all, to save you…I tri–I couldn't do it I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I tri—"  
>"<em>Why Kakashi?<em>" Sakura asked, "Why didn't you bring him back? Where's Sasuke?"  
>She stood in front of him with her hands clasped together, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed.<br>"_Why Kakashi? _Why couldn't you do it? You promised me! All I wanted was to see team 7 smile again like you said, why didn't you bring him back? _Why Kakashi?_"  
>"I'm sorry Sakura I wanted to, I tried I really did, I'm so sorry Sakura. Please, please, I wanted to save you all I'm so sorry please" he sobbed.<br>But all she did was scream at him in anger as her tears flowed down her cheeks.  
>"Sakura I just–I just–I—" he was finding it hard to breathe. He tried to look away but all he could see were the three dead bodies he had killed behind her. He turned around, wanting to get away from them. But his father drop down in front of him, hanging from a rope.<br>Once again, Kakashi collapsed, and started falling into nothing...

"Ka-Kakashi sensei?" Hinata asked.  
>The copy ninja was thrashing around in his camp-bed, high with a fever. He had still not yet recovered from his fight with Pain, and was currently sleeping in one of the tents of the make-shift hospital. Hinata had entered moments earlier to check in on him, as part of her nightly rounds.<br>"Kakashi-sensei?" she asked again, kneeling down in the dirt next to his bed. He was still trapped in his nightmare, "_No_…_no_," he kept crying painfully.  
>She tentatively put a hand up to his forehead and was surprised at how hot it was. He was very sick indeed. He opened his eyes with a shocked gasp and she withdrew her hand with a start. His mismatched red and black eyes stared down into Hinata's not seeing anything. Panting heavily, he sat up and his eyes began to roam around the room in the dark.<br>Hinata quickly poured a glass of water and thrust it at him, "Here, take thi—" she began, but Kakashi had already grabbed it out of her hand.  
>Disregarding her presence completely, he yanked his mask down and drank the water in one gulp. Gasping for breath, he dropped the empty glass on the ground and lay back down again, closing his eyes. Hinata wet a cloth and, after wiping away his sticky fringe, placed it on his forehead. He grasped her hand and pulled it down beside him, clutching onto it.<br>"Thank you, Rin" he murmured as his breathing returned to normal and he fell back asleep.

Hinata smiled softly and stayed for a few more minutes to hold his hand...

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading. This is my first ever fic :S  
>please leave a review, thanks!<p> 


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